Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-03-05

"Mother," said hnouorn, Wnen they |
had gone to their rooms, her cheeks |
flushed and her eyes brilliant, ''never let
me be introduced TO that Lieut.. Halstead.
He has asked not TO meet me-"
"Why, my dear, didn't you meet himS
/ did not notice. | must have turned TO
speak to George"
"No; and it was very decided"
"Yor must have imagined It, my
dear."
"Now, motherl''
"Well, well, as you like, but it is a
foolish freak"
Rhodora was half inclined to tell her
mother Of the remark she had heard as
she passed the group of officers on the
wharf that morning, but She decided not
to speak of it.
Rhodora often detained her mother that
they might be late to dinner or lunch, but
go when they would Lieut.. Halstead al
Ways seemed to be there.
He ate slowly, and Rhodora declared
that he took everything in courses from
olives to cheese, and that his digestive
apparatus was certainly In excellent trim,
| for he ate with fifteen minutes interval
| between each mouthful
When she was invited to join large
party the next day she adroitly had the
hostess run over the list of her guests,
and when she found that Lieut.. Hal
steads name was not among them she
gladly consented to go.
1t was after in the evening when she
| returned, tired and hungry, but signing
| with satisfaction to think that she could
| eat comfortable meal without pair of
| staring brown eyes opposite.
She had finished her soup when the
hall door opened. Alas! she knew this
firm, decided step too well. George smil-
ingly pulled out the chair opposite and
Lieut.. Halstead seated himself demurely.
1t was just too bad. Tears of vexation
gathered in those large gray eyes. He
came on purpose to annoy her. He was
the rudest man she had ever seen. Her
first impulse was to leave the table, but
she would not give him the satisfaction
of knowing she was angry; besides, she
was hungry. She would eat very slowly.
She did no care how miserable she felt IL
only she could make him uncomfortable,
so with q studied air of composure she
reached for the crackers and upset her
glass of water. She didn't care, but it
was rather embarrassing. She was sure
he was smiling. She ate slower than
ever, and looked quite serene gazing off
into space. The room was oppressively
quiet. He was taking an endless time for
his dinner, so she hurried and almost
choked herself but he seemed to be
hurrying too, now that she tried to get
through first
She had just decided that she could not
endure this moment longer, yet deter
mined that he should not have the salts
faction of having spoiled her dinner When
she heard in sonorous tones: "Miss Black,
may trouble you for the pcpper?'
She started, but said in frozen man
ner Certainly, handing him the catsup.
"The pepper, please, - he said, smiling,
at the same time half withrawing his
hand from the bottle, while she, suppos.
ing he would take it from her. let it slip
from her fingers.
~ beg your pardon, he said, but not
before the brown liquid had deluged the
table.
at is of no consequence, said Mis-:
Rhodora, quite confused, then pointing
toward his elbow she sad in tragic tones
'"rhere's the pepperr'
so it is, "he said, his brown eyes smil
ing at her. cts too bad to have troubled
YOU"
1t would have been natural for Rhodort
to make some polite response, but she BIZ
her lip and remained silent.
II presume you had pleasant barge
party?' he said, agreeably.
"Quite pleasant" was the frigid an
'swer
II was out hunting, and could not go
l only came in half an hour since"
| uo ho1 auiI lv only had 4,
change his hunting suit and come dow
to dinner. Rhodora repented little
possibly he had not come in late for tn
purpose Of annoying her; still she remem
bered his remark about Detroit girls ant
9 ceased to relent toward him.
She had finished her dinner and riser
from the table. Lieut.. Halstead ARCS
. also and held the dining room door opel
I for her to pass.
"May come into the parlor with your
he asked.
I There was nothing for her to do but t.
acquiesce. Now that he was her CUES
she was obliged to show just the least al
: of cordiality, but she tried to make he
e mother bear the burden of the converse
ton.
G Mrs. Black liked Lieut.. Halstead, an
" | IbHOuOEu ucIocll llSIculHS WIFI Ill
i terest to their conversation, for Mrs. Blac
g had the rare faculty of bringing out tn
o best that was in one, while Lieut.. Hal
stead was utterly unconscious that he wa
k making this conversation monologue.
u All three started in surprise as tn
t bugle call for tattoo" sounded throug
e the open windows. Lieut.. Halstead aros
d in haste, and Mrs. Black refrained fror
= asking him to return because she remen
d bered her daughters aversion to tn
: Thirty-first regiment
: Rhodora repenting of her coolness &C
d companied the lieutenant to the door.
d "Thank you for a delightful evening,
l. he said heartily.
/ Rhodora considered this a reflectio
Il upon her manner, but when he sal
d eagerly: care you busy, will you be Ell
:, gagged after tattoo?" she answered wit
II charming candor: 81 have some letter
" to write" But she never touched pen [
70 paper that night; she sat by her windo'
a in the moonlight star gazing, and whe
she fell aseep she had romantic dreams
s. cabbage with gold shoulder straps dane
n ing attendance to sick mouse covere
a with mustard poultices dipped in catsul
10 The next morning, as Miss Rhodor